Key-opening can and method of opening same



May 13 1924. 1,493,995

\ e. A. LEIGHTCN 'KEY OPENING CAN AND METHOD OF OPENING SAME Filed Nov. 6. 1917 INVENTOR I %M4 a M W ATTORNEYS Patented May 13, 1924..

GEORGE A. LEIGHTON, OF SOUTH BOS'IYQN, MASSACHIISETTS, ASSIGNOR TOuAMERICAN CAN COMPANY OF NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed November-6, 1917. Serial No. 200,559.

T (ZZZ i071 am. it may concern:

Be it known that GEORGE A. LnIeH'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 8.65 Fourth Street, South Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Opening Cans and Methods of Opening Same, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to key opening cans and has for its object broadly the improve ment of the construction thereof and theprovision of an improved method or process for opening a can of this character.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a key opening can which will not require the provision of a tongue or projecting part which extends out beyond the edge of the body and which can be readily opened by the mere insertion of the key in the material of the body and a turning of itto roll back the material.

The invention contemplates the provision of tear lines on a wall of .the body to be opened, and a key which may be punched through the portion thus set oif and turned to start and continue the tearing along the lines of tear, the initial application of pressure being located right at or closely adjacent to the line of tear at the point at which the tear is to start.

A. further object of the invention is the provision of a can of the character described in which the operation of the key will be of peculiar accuracy and of easy manipulation.

Another objectof the invention is a pro-. vision of a can of this character which will be economical to. manufacture.

Numerous other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a can embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, showing the key in its initial opening position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the key.

Fig. 4c is an end view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a partial detail showing the action of the key shortly after the tearing operation is commenced.

Fig." 6 is a partial plan view showing the position of the key immediately after insertion; and v Fig. '7 is a partial view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly difi'erent construction at the point at which the key is to be inserted.

For .the purpose of illustrating my present'invention 1 have shown on the drawing a can intended for the packing of sardines and having a body composed of a side wall 11, .and a top wall 12 seamed in suitable fashion thereto at 13. A portion 14 of this top wall is set ofi by a line of tear 15, which may be provided by scoring to weaken the material, or which may consist merely of a bead which may direct the tearing. The line of weakening in the present instance consists of portions or lines 16 extending along the sides of the can and lines 17 converging at one end into a rounded-apex 18, at which apex it is intended that the tear shall start and extend therefrom in opposite directions, first along lines 17 and subsequently along lines 16 to their rear ends, which ends may be connected by a line 19, if desired, in order that the portion 14 may be easily entirely removed from the can, it of course being possible to remove this portion by merely tearing it away after it has been torn to the rear end seam. whether the line 19 be provided or not. The converging lines 17 form in effect a tongue, which may be readily torn, as will be hereinafter described, and of course this tongue may be located at any point in the wall 12 desired.

The opening. operation consists in inserting a key through the portion 14 and with it prying up under the apex of the tongue just described to start the tear and through continued action of the key roll the material of the portion 14. backwardly from the end of the can at which the tear is started by a single continuous movement.

The key in the present instance consists of a piece of wire having a part extending out to the side, which part may be forced through the material of the cover and actively engage under the tongue or apex 18. In the present instance the key consists of a piece of wire 21 having one end bent at 22 to extend out from the shaft of the wire substantially'at right angles. This end indicated at 23 is preferably bevelled on a forward corner at 24: to render it sharp and easily insertable through the material of the portion 1a, the other end of the piece of.

wire being formed into a hand piece 25, in order that the key may be inserted at the point calculated to produce the best result and also in order that the insertion of the key may be facilitated. it provide at 26 in Fig. 1 a weakening of the material of the portion 18. Thepoint 26 is located directly rearwardlyvof the apex 18 a distance equal substantially to the length of the end 23 of the key and equally distant from the lines 17. The weakening at the point 26 serves the double purpose of facilitating the insertion of the key and also of indicating the point at which this insertion should he made. The weakening in Fig. 1 sets ofi a severahle lip 27 which may he pushed down by the end of the key as it enters. This operation is shown in Fig. 2, it being understood that in this figure the arm 23 is passing through the opening it is forming in the material of the portion 14, and the key is pushed down until the entire end is located within the can and it is then rotated to lift the end of the key.

ment is continued causes this tear to pro-,

gross first along the lines 17 and then along the lines 18, until the portion 14 is entirely removed. I

In Fig 6 the position of the end of the key hefore the tear starts is indicated by dotted lines, and in Fig. 5 the position of the key and its action after the tearing has started are shown. it will he readily understood that the weakenin the point 26 may he otherwisecprovided than by tee setting ofi of the lip 2'7, as for example as shown in Fig. 7, in which figure a cross 28 is substituted for the curved weakening line setting off the lip 2'2". The weakening may, if desired, he omitted at the point and a mere indication that the key should he forced through the material at this point he employed' This indication might he by the cross shown in Fig. 7, provided without weakening the material or it might he by the provision of any other suitable indication. it is thought that the invention and many of its apparent advantages will he understood from the foregoing without further description and it would he apparent that various changes may he made in the form and construction of hoth key and the container Without de arting c spirit and scope of the i1 ficing all of its material incense form hereinhefore described being mereiy a preferred embodiment thereo't.

I claim:

1'. A key for opening cans, said key having a shank and a sharp perforating crankiike arm which is at substantially right angles to said shank and turning axis of the key and is insertable into the tearing tongue of a can to make an opening and then to lie with its end under the tip of the tongue While the key lies crosswise of said tongue, said key being then turnable while in said openin to tear up said tongue, first at the extremity thereof.

2, The method of opening a key opening can, a surface of which is provided with a weakening line which sets oif the portion of the surface to be removed and terminates in an outwardly extending tongue, said method consisting in perforating the set off surface at a point within the tongue and substantially on a central longitudinal line of the tongue and thereafter pressing up the said tongue by pressure on its under side before it is detached, first, at the tip of the tongue to cause the rupture of the weakening line at that point, and then further lifting up the tongue along a substantially central line extending hack from the tip of the tongue, and thereafter continuing the detachment of said set-oft portion by rolling up the surface to be removed, thereby causing the rupture of the surface of the can along the other portions of the weakening line on both sides of the central line, until the can is opened 3 A key for opening cans, said key having. a sharp perforating crank-like arm extending laterally from said shank and from the turning axis of the key, said perforating osing insertahle into the tear-able tongue of a can by pressure in line with said arm while the shank of the key lies horizontally crosswise of said tongue, the key heiug then turnable to lift and tear away the extremity and body of said tongue.

4. A key for opening key-opening cans. said hey having a rotatable shank and handle having a lateral arm extending sideyvise from said shank which arm is sharp to perforate the tongue of a mu nearits eX- tremity while the shank of the key lies crosswise of the tongue and which, following said perforation, is adaptedhy rotation to tear the tongue by lifting pressure on the under side of the latter.

in the presence of two witnesses.

tJri-EURGE A, LEEGHTQN. 

